Package-feeder for carriers



Patented DOO. 14, 1920 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

s. OLSON.

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APPLICATION FILED IAN. 24,1919.

Patented Dea-14, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES SAMUEL OLSON, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PACKAGE-FEEBER FOR CARRIERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

Application led January 24, 1919. Serial No. 272,800.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL OLsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Package-Feeders forCarriers, of which the following is a speciication, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention is directed to means for regulating the travel ofpackages along a .carrier track or runway by controlling the transfer ofsuch packages from one section of the track to another, and it isillustrated by a structure in which rvthe receiving section of the trackis also a loading station for an elevator, and arranged so that theelevator movement automatically. controls the transfer action and thusregulates the feeding of packages to the elevator. The inventionconsists in various features and elements of the structure hereinafterdescribed and sho-wn in the drawings together with certain combinationsthereof as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of an elevator structure and a runwayincludingpackage shown in Figs. 1 and 2,. taken as a section i l l l iat line 3 3 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of-a modified form of feeding device.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of another modi.

cation of the feeding` mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a planview illustrating another modification of the feed mechanism.

ther modification of the feeding device.

In Figs. l and 2 the side wall, 1, of the elevator shaft is partlybroken away to show in full line one of the elevator trays, 2, and thereceiving section, 3, of the carrier track which constitutes a loadingsta-` tion for the elevator. The upwardly traveling ply of the chain isindicated at 4, and the downwardly returning ply at 5 in dotted line,being shown in section in Fig. 3, which also includes the guide rails,6, which coact with the guide rollers, 7, of the Aelevator trays, tomaintain the latter in horizontal position in their upward travel. Thecarrier or runway proper of which the end portion is shown at 8 may beof the common construction in which packages travel upon rollers, 9,extending transversely between longitudinal side frames, 10, which aresuiiciently inclined to the horizontal so that gravity will cause travelof the packages over the rollers.

For regulating the feed of such packages to the final receiving sectionor loading station of the elevator at 3, there is interposed between thesaid section,3, and the runway, 8, a transverse section, 11, which, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, is mounted for bodily vertical movement uponparallel rocker arms, 12, so that, at one limit of the movement, it isalined with the runway, 8, for receiving packages7 therefrom butmisalined with the loading station, 3, lying in a plane somewhat belowthat of said station, so that a stop, 13, associated with the loadingstation stands above the level of the rollers of the transverse section,1l, and in position to engage a package thereon and arrest its travel.The length of the transverse section, 1l, should be equal to or slightlyless than the length of one of the packages which it is to handle, suchAas a box, A, shown in F igs.` 1 and 2; thus the rear end of said part,A, will serve as a stop to arrest the next box, B, as it comes along therunway, 8, at

a position beyond the rear end of the transverse section, 11, so that asthe said section is moved to its upward limit, as shown in Fig. 2, thebox, A, may continue to act asY will have. been lifted above the stop,13, and Y allowed to vproceed on to the loading sta- Fig. 8 isa planview showing a still fur-V' tion, as shown in Fig. 2. The rollers, 14,of the loading station, 3, are arrangedin several sets, transverselysepa-rated to permit the carrying arms, 2, of the elevator trays to passbetween them andpick up the load, such as the box, A, from them, as saidarms, 2, trayel upward,-this relation of the parts being indicated inFig. 3.

Preferably the rear roller, 15, of the transfer section, 11, serves as astop for box, B, so that as the section is lowered back to its formerposition in alinement with the track7 8, said stop member, 15, rollswithout friction against the end of box, B, and finally out of contacttherewith, permitting the boX, B, to advance on to-the transfer section,11, to the stop, This up-and-down movement of the transfer section, 11,may be effected in properly timed relation to the travel of the carrierarms, 2, of the elevator by means of a linkage comprising a bell crankfulcrumed at 16 with its arm, 17, eX- tending for contact with a roller,18, which is associated with each tray or carrier of the elevator at itsconnection with the chain, 4; the other arm, 19, of the bell crank isconnected by a link, 20, with a rocker arm, 21, on shaft, 22, of one setof the rocker arms, 12. A spring, 23, tends to hold the transfersection, 11, in its lower position in alinement with the runway, 8,while actuation of the bell crank arm, 17, by the passage of an elevatortray carries the section, 11, to its upper limit in alinement with thereceiving section, 3.

To adapt this feed mechanism for handling packages of different sizes atdifferent times, the terminal portion of the runway, 8, and the transfersection may both be made of variable length, so that the section, 11,

l may always be adjusted to a length that is slightly less than that ofthe package which it is to handle. This may be accomplished by mountingthe end roller of each part in longitudinally ad'ustablc side framemembers; as shown in igs. 1, 2 and 3, the roller, 15, is carried in theside frames, 24, secured by bolts or screws, 25, to the members, 26,which are carried directly by the rocker arms, 12, and several sets ofholes, 27, are provided for the bolts, 25, to permit longitudinaladjustment and securement of the members, 24, on the parts, 26. Theterminal roller, 28, of the runway is similarly carried in adjustablymounted side frames, 29, several holes, 30, being provided therein toreceive the securing bolts for attachment to the permanent or fixed sideframes, 10.

The drawings also show several modified forms of feed devices allembodying the same general principle as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and3,-namely, thc bodily movement of the transfer section from one limit tothe other, it being alined with the runway and misalined with thereceiving section at one limit, and then alined with the receivingsection and misalined4 with the runway at the other limit, and providedwith suitable stops which are brought into action by such misalinementat one point or the other to control .the travel of the packages.

In Fig. 4 the transfer section is shown as composed of two parts hingedtogether at the middle of the lengthof the section at 31 with bellcranks, 32, arranged for simultaneously elevating or depressing theopposite ends of the section but leaving the hinge axis, 31, stationary.At the lower limit. the rear end of the transfer section is alined withthe runway, 8, while at the upper limit, shown in dotted lines, theforward end of the section would be alined with the receiving section orloading station, 3. Preferably a feeding belt, 33, is included in thiscombination, traveling over the end rollers of the transfer section andarranged to directly support the boX or other load, indicated at C. Suchbelt may be driven by its engagement with the forward roller, 34, whichis rendered a live roller by connection through the driving chain, 35,and belt, 36, with any suitable source of power. If the belt, 33, iscontinuously driven, it will of course slip under the package, C, whenthe latter first arrives upon the transfer section, and is stoppedagainst the roller, 37, of the loading station, 3. But as the endportionsof the transfer section rise into alinement with said loadingstation, the belt will feed the package, C, on to the stationwithgreater certainty than it would travel by gravity over the rollersthereon.

Fig. 5 illustrates another modification in which the two sections of thetransfer de.- vice, instead of being hinged together at the middle, areseparately ful'crumed at opposite ends, the rollers of these sectionsbeing constructed somewhat as those of the loading station, 3, shown inFig. 3, and carried in frames which are transversely spaced apart andinterlapped past each other, as illustrated in the plan view of Fig. 6.The free ends of the sections, 38 and 39, respectively, are actuated bybell cranks, 40 and 41, which may be proportioned, if desired, toelevate the movable end of the part, 39, which is the rear end of thetransfer section by a greater amount than the forward end, so as toincline the package, C, sufficiently to insure its traveling on to the4loading station, 3, by gravity. It will be understood that the rearend, 42, of the station, 3,y will act as a stop to arrest the package asit arrives on the transfer section 'composed of parts 38 and 39, andthatA the rear end of its portion, 39, carrying the roller, 43, will actas a stop to arrest a package travel ing on the runway. 8, while thetransfer section is in its upward position.

The transfer section, 44, shown in Fig. 7, is mounted for horizontalmovement in its own lplane transversely of the direction of travel ofpackages along the runway, 8, and said runway is transversely misali-nedwith the loading station, 3. lVhen the section, 44, is in properalinement with the runway, 8, a package arriving thereon is arrested'bymeans of a stop, 45, rigidly associated with the receiving section, 3.Then by movement of the bell crank, 46, controlled by travel of theelevator, the transfer section is moved laterally into alinement withthe receiving section, 3, and, being inclined to the horizontal, thelpackage thereon will travel by gravity on to the receiving section. Astop, 47, carried by the transfer section, 44, being thus positioned atthe end' of the runway, 8, serves to arrest further movement of anypackages thereon until section, 44, is returned into alinementtherewith. y

Fig. 8 shows another form of the invention in which the runway, 8, isangularly misalined with the loading station, 3, and the transfersection, 48, rotates between limits for alternate alinement with theparts, itself carrying a stop, 49,-and the loading station carrying astop, 50, serving to prevent travel of packages over the misalinedparts.

I claim 1. In combination with an elevator and a. runway for packagesleading thereto, a loading station associated with the elevator, and atransfer section at the end of the runway mounted for movement of bothits ends in the same direction transversely of the principal directionof travel of packages over the runway, and means for effecting suchmovement of the transfer section controlled bythe travel of theelevator.

2. In the combination set forth in claim 1, the transverse movement ofthe transfer section being limited so that at one limit said sectionforms a continuation of the runway but is misalined with the loadingstation.

3. In the combination set folrth in claim l, said movement ofthetransfer section being limited so that at one limit said transfersection connects operatively with the loading station for delivery of apackage thereto, but is misalined with Vthe runway.

4. In the combination set forth in claim l,

said movement of both ends of the transfer section being effected by abodily movement of the section in said transverse direction.

5. In the combination set forth in claim 1, said movement of both endsof the transfer section being effected by a bodily movement of thesection in said transverse direction, and such bodily movementtransversely of the direction of travel of the packages being combinedwith a longitudinal movement toward the loading station for initiatingtravel of a package from the transfer sec' tion to said loading station.

6. In the combination set forth in claim l, the said movement of thetransfer section ,being limited so that at one limit said section formsa continuation of the runway, f

but is misalined with the loading station, and a stop associated withthe rear end of said loading station, arranged to engage a package onthe transfer section when the latter is thus misalined with said loadingstation.

7 In the combination set forth in claim 1, such transverse movement ofthe transfer section being limited so that at one limit said sectionconnects operatively with the loading station for delivery of a packagethereto, but is misalined with the runway, and a stop associated withthe rear end of said transfer section, arranged to engage a package onthe runway when said section is misalined therewith.

8. In combinationl with an elevator and a runway for packages, a loadingstation associated with the elevator, and a transfer section at the endof the runway, normally alined therewith for receiving a packagetherefrom, but mounted for limited movement of both its endstransversely of the direction oftravel of packages along the runway, andat the limit 'of such movement alined with the loading station fordelivering a package thereto, together with means for effecting suchmovement of the transfer section controlled by the travel of theelevator.

9. In the combination set forth in claim 8, means ixedly associated withthe loading 'station positioned to engage the forward end of a packageon the transfer section when the latter is alined with the runway butdis-- engageable from such package by movement of the sectionintoalinement with the loading station.

10. In the combination set forth in claim 8, means fiXedly associatedwith the transfer section positioned to arrest travel of a packagealongthe runway while said transfer section is alined with the loadingstation.

l1. In combination with an elevator and a runway for packages leadingthereto, a loading station associated with the elevator, and a transfersection at the end of the runway mounted for movement of its rear endadjacent the runway alternately into and out of alinement therewith, theterminal portion of said runway being longitudinally adjustable and therear 'end of the transfer section being alsolongitudinally adjustable topermit varying the length of said transfer section.,/

12. In a carrier comprising a runway for packages and a receivingsection, a transfer section at the end of the runway mounted formovement transversely of the principal direction of travel of packagesover the carrier for alternate alinement with the runway and receivingsections respectively, means for Varying the length of the transfersection and means for longitudinally adjusting the end of one of theother sections adjacent thereto.

`13. In the combination set forth in claim 1, said movement of both endsof the transfer section being effectedin vertical direction.

14. In the combination set forth in claim 1, said movement of both endsof the transfer section being effected in vertical direction, and solimited that at one limit of such movement the rear end of the transfersection projects above the plane of the runway. 15. In the combinationset forth in claim 1, said movement of both ends of the transfer sectionbeing effected in vertical direction, and so limited that at one limitof such movement the rear end of the loading station stands above theplane of the transfer section track.

16. In the combination set forth in claim 1, said movement of both endsof the transfer section heilig effected in vertical direction, and meansactuated by the travel of the elevator for effecting such movement ofthe transfer section.

17. In the combination set forth in claim 1, said movement of thetransfer section being limited so that at one limit said section forms acontinuation of the runway but is misalined with Ithe loading station,while at the other limit the transfer section connects operatively withthe loading station for delivery of a package thereto, but is misalinedwith the runway, and means rigidly associated with the transfer sectionand loading station respectively, serving as stops for engaging packageson the adjacent portions of the track during .the misalinementaforesaid. y

18. In combination with an elevator and a runway for packages leadingthereto, a loading station associated with the elevator,

a transfer section at the end of the runway normally alined therewithand misalined with the loading station for receiving a packagetherefrom, and mounted directly upon parallel rocker arms arranged toswing forwardly in the direction of advance of the packages in movingthe transfer section into alinement with the loading station to effectdelivery of a package thereto.

19. In a carrier comprising a runway for packages and a receivingsection, a transfer section disposed between said' parts and mounted formovement of both its ends in the same direction transversely of theprincipal direction of travel of packages over the carrier, suchmovement of the transfer section being limited so that at one lmit -itedso that at one limit said section regisiers with the runway but ismisalined with the receiving section and at the other limit the transfersection registers with the receiving section but is msalined with therunway.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto setL my hand at Chicago, Illinois,this 10th day of January, 1919.

SAMUEL OLSON.

